How can I recover an unpaid invoice from a UAE company?

Under UAE law, a creditor first serves a formal legal notice fixing the default and starting statutory interest. Where the debt is documented, the fast-track payment order under Articles 143 to 149 of Federal Decree-Law No. 42 of 2022 produces an enforceable order in weeks. Where it is not, an ordinary civil action follows, with precautionary attachment and travel bans available to secure the position before judgment.

What can I do about a bounced cheque in the UAE after the 2020 decriminalisation?

Following Federal Decree-Law No. 14 of 2020, a dishonoured cheque is enforced civilly before the Execution Judge without the need for a substantive judgment. The creditor files the original cheque and the bank return slip, and the Execution Court proceeds directly to attachment and recovery against the drawer.

Can I impose a travel ban on a debtor in the UAE?

Yes. A creditor can apply ex parte to the competent court for a travel ban against an individual debtor where there is evidence of a subsisting commercial debt and a genuine risk the debtor will leave the jurisdiction. The application is supported by contractual and payment documentation and is granted pending or in support of civil proceedings.

UAE Commercial Payment Recovery

The Invoice Is Overdue.
The Cheque Has Bounced.

Unpaid invoice. Bounced cheque. Debtor moving assets out of the country. A practical knowledge hub on what UAE law actually lets a creditor do.

Browse the Knowledge Hub

Every guide on this site is drawn from actual onshore civil proceedings, payment order applications, and execution court matters across the UAE.

Written for creditors, finance teams, and in-house counsel who need to understand their legal position clearly before making decisions.

Understanding the Process

How Commercial Payment Disputes Are Resolved in the UAE

Most serious payment disputes move through a predictable sequence. Understanding the shape in advance lets you make decisions a hurried creditor usually regrets later.

Stage One

Formal Demand

A properly drafted legal notice fixes the date of default, starts statutory interest running, and preserves the debtor’s acknowledgments. It is the stage that quietly decides most cases.

Stage Two

Payment Order or Interim Relief

Where the claim is documented, the Article 143 payment order produces an enforceable order in weeks. Where it is not, attachment or a travel ban can secure the position before assets move.

Stage Three

Substantive Proceedings and Enforcement

If interim measures do not resolve the matter, the claim proceeds to ordinary civil action or direct cheque execution, then on to the Execution Court for attachment of bank accounts, real estate, and where warranted, forced sale.

Professional Consultation

Speak Directly with a Senior UAE Legal Consultant

If the guides do not answer your specific question, a private case review with a senior UAE legal consultant is available for commercial debt recovery matters with a claim value of AED 100,000 and above.

A confidential review of the contract, correspondence, and payment history
An honest assessment of the strength of the claim and likely defences
A recommended recovery strategy with realistic timelines and cost bands
Where appropriate, full representation through to enforcement
No obligation to proceed, not every enquiry becomes an engagement

YOUR CONSULTATION WILL BE HANDLED BY

Abid Millath

Legal Consultant | 14+ Years in Corporate Law and Dispute Resolution

Send a Case to the Consultant

Share the outline of your matter and the senior UAE legal consultant will review it within 48 business hours. Not all enquiries qualify, only matters where genuine value can be added.

Enquiries are reviewed individually. Response within 48 hours.

We are selective about the cases we take. If your matter does not meet our criteria, we will let you know and, where possible, suggest alternative resources.

Case Studies

How Similar Disputes Were Resolved

Anonymised summaries of actual disputes. Every case is different, these illustrate the process, not guarantee outcomes.

Unpaid Invoice

AED 4.2M Unpaid Supply Contract Recovered via Payment Order

A Dubai trading company owed AED 4.2 million under a supply contract with invoices unpaid for over 14 months. A formal demand letter was served fixing the default. A payment order application under Articles 143 to 149 of the 2022 Civil Procedure Law was filed on the strength of the documentary record, and the debtor settled in full within days of service.

Result: Full recovery without contested proceedings

Travel Ban & Asset Freezing

Travel Ban Stops Debtor Before Departure

A UAE creditor discovered that a defaulting debtor had begun liquidating assets and had booked travel out of the country. An ex parte application for a travel ban and precautionary attachment over the debtor’s UAE bank accounts was filed and granted on the same day. The debtor was forced back to the negotiating table and the matter resolved through a structured settlement.

Result: Structured settlement secured within two weeks

Contested Civil Action

Distribution Agreement Dispute Carried Through to Execution

A distribution agreement dispute where the debtor contested liability on the merits. Ordinary civil proceedings through the onshore courts, supported by contractual records and a court-appointed expert report, culminated in judgment. Enforcement proceeded through the Execution Court against identified real estate and bank accounts.

Result: Judgment enforced against real estate and bank accounts

All case details are anonymised. Outcomes depend on the specific facts, evidence, and legal merits of each individual matter.

Instant Guidance

Have a Question? Ask Our Legal Assistant

An AI-powered legal assistant trained on the UAE Commercial Transactions Law, the 2022 Civil Procedure Law, the Federal Arbitration Law, and Decree-Law No. 14 of 2020 on cheques. It can answer preliminary questions about your matter, available 24/7, at no cost.

This is not a replacement for professional legal advice. It is a starting point, helping you understand your rights and what steps to consider, before deciding whether to seek formal consultation.

Ask a Question →

"My client has not paid a AED 600,000 invoice for 8 months. What are my options?"

The first step is a formal legal notice establishing default and interest. Where the debt is documented, the fast-track payment order under Articles 143 to 149 of the 2022 Civil Procedure Law is usually the quickest onshore route...

"My debtor is about to leave the UAE. Can I impose a travel ban?"

Yes, in appropriate cases. A travel ban can be obtained ex parte where there is a documented commercial debt and evidence the debtor may leave the jurisdiction. The court applies an evidentiary threshold and the ban is granted in aid of pending or anticipated civil proceedings...

About This Resource

Practitioner-Grade Legal Analysis for UAE Commercial Creditors

PaymentDisputes.ae is a specialist legal knowledge platform dedicated to one of the most consequential issues facing businesses operating in the UAE: commercial payment recovery.

Every guide is drawn from real onshore civil proceedings, payment order applications, and execution court matters, not recycled blog posts or AI-generated filler. The goal is to give creditors, finance teams, and their advisors the practitioner-level information they need to understand their legal position, evaluate their options, and act with clarity.

The content is written and maintained by qualified UAE legal consultants with direct experience in commercial litigation, arbitration, and corporate transactional matters across the UAE, ADGM, DIFC, and the wider GCC. For matters that require more than the guides can address, a private case review is available for qualifying commercial disputes.

The Invoice Is Overdue.
The Cheque Has Bounced.

Can I Stop a UAE Debtor From Leaving the Country Before My Case Is Even Filed?

How Do You Enforce a Foreign Judgment

How Long Do I Have to Sue for Unpaid Money in the UAE

How Do I Freeze a Debtor’s Bank Account in the UAE

Travel Ban on a Debtor

Security Cheque on a UAE Commercial Deal

Formal Demand

Payment Order or Interim Relief

Substantive Proceedings and Enforcement

The Invoice Is Overdue.The Cheque Has Bounced.

Can I Stop a UAE Debtor From Leaving the Country Before My Case Is Even Filed?

How Do You Enforce a Foreign Judgment

How Long Do I Have to Sue for Unpaid Money in the UAE

How Do I Freeze a Debtor’s Bank Account in the UAE

Travel Ban on a Debtor

Security Cheque on a UAE Commercial Deal

Formal Demand

Payment Order or Interim Relief

Substantive Proceedings and Enforcement

The Invoice Is Overdue.
The Cheque Has Bounced.